Continuous access to adequate quantities of safe water and food are essential for human health and socioeconomic development.
In Ghana, more than five million people (about 18 percent) rely on surface water to meet their daily water needs, leaving them vulnerable to water-related illness and disease. Further, 81 percent of Ghanaians lack access to improved sanitation or are entirely without toilet facilities.
The majority of households without access to safe water and sanitation lack the upfront funds needed to invest in their own solutions. Consequently, those living in poverty often pay up to ten times more per litre for water service from private vendors than their middle-class counterparts connected to piped water services.
There is no pipe-borne water in most major areas in Accra, leaving residents to walk more than 50 metres to a broken public water pipe for supply.
“It’s my children I am worried about,” Most says.
Regarding food, Dr. Afriyie Akoto, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Monday said Ghana is not on its knees for food.
Government, under the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme, has been working hard towards food security and had abundant food stock in its warehouses to feed the nation.
He, therefore, advised the public against stock buying, saying this has accounted for the present price hikes by traders.
The Minister gave the advice at a press briefing in Accra by his Ministry, supported by the Buffer Stock Company, to provide an update on food security and pricing following the two-week restrictions on movements in the COVID-19 ‘hotspots’ in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, and Kumasi.
He explained that the present price increases had been caused by consumer behaviour, saying; “We are not in a war situation, but just two-weeks of restriction on human movement, subject to an extension,” and cautioned traders against deliberately profiteering from the situation.
Dr Akoto stressed that the present restrictions did not affect the transportation of food items to and from the restricted areas.
He said those persons were permitted to go about their normal work, to bring in food items to market areas for sale, explaining that the partial restriction in Greater Accra and Kumasi, was for mass human movements, so as to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 infections.
The Minister said traders of foodstuffs and other cooked food were also exempted and could go about their work normally, but must observe the safety, hygiene and social distancing protocols.
He encouraged the public to remain calm as the situation would soon improve over the next few days.
“It is hunger I am worried about, not a virus.” a concerned mother who has to sell vegetables and fruits by the roadside.
Though there is a higher mortality rate among the old and those with underlying health conditions, young people are also dying of the virus – and they can transmit it if they do not act responsibly.
GNA
